Rail lubricating device



March 27, 1934. BATES 1,952,051

RA IL LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1934. BATES 1,952,051

RAIL LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 51. 19:51 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 27, 1934 cries RAIL LUBRICATING DEVICE Harry B. Bates, Chicago, 111.,

assignor to Maintenance Equipment Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 31, 1931, Serial No. 560,335

11 Claims.

My invention relates to lubricating devices and more particularly to a device for lubricating rails and car wheel flanges of railway equ pment.

7 Due to lateral thrust by car wheel flanges, as a result of centrifugal force generated in traversing curves, the rails are particularly susceptible to wear at the curves and there is also a considerable wear on the wheel flanges. The thrust comes on the innerside of the rail face where the car wheel flange contacts and in practice, it has been found necessary to frequently replace the worn rails to avoid derailing of the cars. This wear may be reduced to a considerable extent by greasing or lubricating the rails at the points of greatest wear or by greasing or spraying the wheel flanges of the locomotive or car with oil.

My invention has as an object the production of a simple, inexpensive, eflicient, compact, durable and reliable mechanical lubricator adapted 2G for attachment to the rail, and operable by the passage of a car wheel thereover, to apply lubricant to the rail at the point or points of wear.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device which will transmit the action of the car wheel to the lubricator in such manner that the lubricant is ejected as required, but after all lubricant has been ejected, no damage will be caused to the apparatus by continued successive actuating of the device bycontact of wheels.

The invention also has as an object the production of a device which will eject the lubricant measured amounts as each wheel passes over the distributor, but will not continuously eject in case a car wheel comes to rest over the device.

Another object is the production of a device which may be easily filled and refilled with lubricant which will show by a casual exterior inspection whether or not the lubricant is exhausted; a which consists of a minimum number of movable parts, thereby reducing cost of manufacture as well as renewal for wear and up-keep of the parts andwhichmaybe readily applied or removed from the rail without any reconstruction thereof or temporary removal of the rail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lubricator of the kind described wherein the ubricator container is positioned on the outside of the track or rail to which it is attached, thereby g avoiding the possibility of damage to the container by reason of any possible contact with brake beams, draw bars or other apparatus positioned beneath a car.

A still further object of theinvention is to improve devices of the character described in sundry details hereinafter referred to and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One embodiment of the present invention is shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved rail lubricator showing a portion of the rail to which it is applied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the lubricator shownin Fig. 1 as view from the innerside of the rail. to which it is attached;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of my improved lubricator taken substantially as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1, a rail being shown in section with the device applied thereto, and a portion of a car wheel being shown in dotted lines thereon;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational-view taken substantially as indicated by the line 4=4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially' as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 2;

and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of Fig. 3 showing certain of the parts in changed position.

In the drawings, 6 represents a head or tread of a rail and 7. a portion of a wheel having the usual flange 8 which is customarily disposed on the inner face of the rail head. My device is adapted to be attached to the rail and is operable to deposit a particular or measured quantity'of grease cr'lubricant at the inner side face of-the rail head where it maybe picked up by the flange and spread along the inner face of the rail.

As shown in the drawings, the present invention comprises a rail plate 9 which is of a suitable size to permit its being positioned between the inner side of the rail head 6 and the flange or base 10 of the rail, the plate 9 being so mounted that the face 11 thereof isin alignment with and forms substantially a continuation of the inner side of the rail head.

The plate 9 is provided adjacent its central portion with an aperture 12, and communicating therewith is a pipe or conduit 13 shown in the present instance as screw-threaded into the plate 7 9 and adapted to extend through an aperture 13 formed in the web 14 of the rail in a manner to extend a substantial distance beyond the outer side thereof.

Mounted on the outer end of the pipe 13 is a lubricant container indicated as a whole by the numeral 15, the said container comprising a tubular portion 16 and inner and outer end members 1'7 and 18, respectively, operatively connected to the tubular member 16 in a manner to form a lubricant supply chamber 19, therein, the inner member 1'? being preferably screw-threaded onto the outer end of the pipe 13 and adapted to be rotated thereon against an outer spacer plate 20 in a manner to draw the rail plate 9 snugly against the head 6 and base 10 on the inner side of the rail as clearly shown in Fig. 3. If desired, a lock washer 21 may be positioned between the end of the member 17 and the spacer plate 20 to secure the lubricant container and associated parts against reltaive displacement with respect to the pipe 13 and rail plate 9.

Slidably mounted in the tubular portion 16 of the container 15 is a plunger 22 having a screwthreaded stem 23 adapted to extend through an aperture 24 formed in the member 18 and in a manner to slide therein, while one end of a coil spring 25 is positioned in an annular channel 26 formed in the member 18 and the opposite end of the spring is adapted to .seat in an annular channel 27 formed in the plunger 22 in a manner to normally Lu'ge the plunger toward the member 17 for forcing the lubricant in the container through the pipe 13 and aperture 12 formed in the rail plate 9.

For charging the container with lubricant, the member 17 may be provided with an aperture 28, (Fig. 1) adapted to receive a tapered plug 29 which may be readily removed and replaced by a suitable fitting attached to a lubricator pump or the like, and through the aperture 28, lubricant may be forced into the container 15 in front of the plunger 22 in a manner to move the plunger .in an outwardly direction against the action of the spring 25 until the container 15 has been fully charged, or if desired, a suitable tool may be screw-threaded onto the stem 23 and by turning the tool against the shoulder 30, the stem may be drawn outwardly against the action of the spring 25 and the lubricant injected into the container through the aperture 28, after which the plug may be replaced and the tool removed from the stem 23, thereby permitting the spring 25 to exert a pressure upon the lubricant in the container. It will be noted that the quantity oi? lubricant within the container may be readily ascertained by the position of the stem 23 with respect to the member 18in order to determine when the container should be recharged with lubricant.

Suitably positioned on the inner side of the rail plate 9 is a valve head indicated as a whole by the numeral 31, and provided with a face 'plate 32 arranged for attachment to the rail plate 9 by means of bolts 33 or other suitable means. The plate 32 is preferably secured in place by means of the bolts 33 and nuts 34, and normally yieldingly urged toward the plate 9 by springs 35. The head 31 is also provided with a pressure or compression chamber 36 having an intake port 37 and a discharge port 38 associated therewith, and the head is also recessed at 39 to provide a. space for the reception of a combined valve and distributor plate 40. The valve 40 is movable vertically over the face of, the rail plate 9 to apply and distribute the lubricant, and is maintained in close contact with the rail plate 9 by the springs 35 previously referred to.

As shown in the drawings, the plate 40 is substantially a combined valve and distributor for the lubricant, and is provided with ports 41 and 42 which cooperate with the aperture 12 formed in the rail plate 9 and with the ports S'Tand 38 as will be hereinafter more fully described. The

plate 40 is also provided with a passageway, duct or groove 43, the lower end of which communicates with the port 42 and the upper end of the duct terminates at the top of the plate 40 adjacent the inner face of the rail head 6, the plate being of suflicient size to overlap the rail head as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The plate 40 is normally maintained in its upper position and limited in its travel by springs 44 positioned in apertures 45 formed in the valve plate 40 at opposite sides of the ports 41 and 42 as clearly shown in Fig. 4, the sides of the springs extending beyond the face of the plate 40 at one side thereof into recesses 46 formed in the head 31 at opposite sides of the pressure chamber 36, and on the opposite side of the plate 40 into recesses 47 formed in the rail plate 9 at opposite sides of the aperture 12, all as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings.

When a car wheel '7, such as illustrated by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 6 passes over the plate 40, the flange 8 of the wheel engages the top portion of he plate 40 with a transverse or horizontal and downward pressure and forces the plate down to substantially the position shown in Fig. 6, and after the wheel has passed the plate, the springs 44 return the plate to the position shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings. In the construction shown, the flange of the wheel tends to clutch or frictionally engage the plate'40 to carry it downwardly by frictional contact therewith rather than by a direct abutting engagement therewith. In the preferred construction, the upper edge of the valve plate 40 is rounded as indicated at 48, the top portion constituting in effect, a cam adapted to be frictionally engaged by the flange 8 of the car wheel.

The operation of the device may be briefly described as follows: Assuming that the container is mounted on a track rail substantially as shown in the drawings and at the desired point, it being understood that there may be any desired number of devices arranged at intervals along the curve. Assuming also that the container 15 and chamber 36 are full of lubricant such as grease of the desired consistency, it will be noted that in the positions shown in Fig. 3, the port 33 of the head 31 is in registry with the port 42 of the plate 40, and it may be assumed also that the groove 43 is full of grease while the port 37 is closed by the valve 40, and that transmission of lubricant from the container 15 to the chamber 36 is prevented. As a wheel rolls over the rail and comes into engagement with the plate 40, thereby depressing it, the plate 40 is moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 6, closing the discharge port 38 leading from the compression chamber and placing the ports 37 and 41 in registry, and communication between th container 15 and the chamber 36 is established through the aperture 12 formed in the railplate 9. With the parts in this changed position, the spring pressed plunger 22 forces lubricant from the container 15 through the pipe 13, aperture 12 and ports 41 and 3'7 into the compression chamber 36, thereby putting the lubricant body in the chamber 36 under a pressure equal to that exerted by the spring 25, it being understood that the lubricant employed, by reason of its structure and consistencycontains a certain amount of entrained air which is compressed by the tension of the spring 25 exerted thereon. As soon as the wheel has passed, however, the plate is free to move upwardly under the action of the springs '44, closing the port 3'7 port 38, thereby establishing communication between the chamber 36 and the groove 43. The compressed air in the lubricant which places it under pressure or compression in the chamber 36 expands and causes a surge of the lubricant through the ports 38 and 42, and forces the lubricant in the groove 43 outwardly or extrudes it onto the inner face of the rail head. The next wheel depressing the plate 40 continues the feeding of lubricant to the rail as above described. It will be noted, however, that should a car stop with a wheel over the plate 40 in a manner to maintain it in depressed position as shown in Fig. 6, and that while the ports 37 and 41 may be in communication with the container 5, thus creating a pressure in the chamber 36, the discharge port 38 will be closed so that there will be no continued feeding of the lubricant in the chamber 36 or the groove 43 from the device. In other words, the feeding takes place only periodically or successively in measured quantities, and not continuously.

'When the plunger 22 has reached the lirrn t of its travel, the position of the stem 23 will indicate that the container is empty and, obviously, this may be noted by a trackman without taking the device apart, and to replenish the supply of lubricant in the container, the tapered plug 29 may be readily removed and replaced by a suitable fitting attached to a 'lubricator pump or similar device by which lubricant may be forced through the aperture 28 into the container and in front of the plunger 22 in a manner to move. the plunger in an outwardly direction against the action of the spring 25 until the container 15 has been fully charged, or, if desired, and as previously mentioned, a suitable tool may be screwthreaded onto the stem 23 and by turning the tool against the shoulder 36, the stem may be drawn outwardly against the action of the spring 25 and the lubricant injected into the container through the aperture 23 by any suitable means,-

after which the plug may be replaced and the tool removed from the stem 23, thereby permitting the spring 25 to again exert a pressure upon the lubricant within the container.

The present invention also contemplates winged portions or guards 49 positioned at opposite ends of the head 31 in a manner to overlie the springs 35, thereby protecting the springs against damage by flying gravel, particles of stone, or the like, which might tend to interfere with the successful and efficient operation of the springs, and between the ends of the head 31 adjacent the upper side and central por tion thereof is provided a reservoir 59 adapted to catch and retain any overflow of lubricant from the groove 43.

It will be noted that the device embodying the present invention consists of a minimum ber of parts so that there is but slight opportunity for wear and for the parts to get out of order or adjustment. In the arrangement shown, sufificient lubricant is fed around the plate 40 so as to lubricate the same where it engages the rail plate 9 and head 31, and if there is any slight wear, it will be compensated'for by the springs 35, the parts also being maintained in operative relationship with respect to the rail head 6.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described, as the same may be various- 1y modified. Moreover, all the features of the invention need not be used conjointly, as the same may be used to advantage in variously different combinations and sub-combinations.

What I claim and desire to cover by Letter Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a lubricant container having a supply chamber positioned on one side of a rail, a head having a compression chamber on the opposite side thereof, a conduit for connecting said chambers and operatively related to said container and head for securing them to the track rail, means for applying pressure to the lubricant in said supply chamber, and a valve plate actuated by a flanged wheel passing on the'rail and having ports formed therein for establishing communication between said chambers when the plate is depressed by the wheel and for permitting the discharge of lubricant from said pressure chamber in measured quantities and distributing the same on said rail when the wheel is disengaged from said plate.

2. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and in combination, a lubricant container having a supply chamber positioned on one side of a rail, a head having a compression chamber formed the-rein positioned on the opposite side of the rail, means for securing said container and head to the rail, distributor means having a passageway and ports through which lubricant from the container is-cohducted and distributed on the rail, said distributor means being operative to position said ports for alternately establishing communication between said chambers and between said compression chamber and said passageway for controlling the discharge of lubricant in measured substantially uniform quantities from the container to the rail, and means for causing a pressure on the lubricant in said supply chamber.

3. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and in combination, a rail plate having an aperture formed therein and constructed to substantially lit a rail between the head and base on one side thereof, a wheel actuated lubricant distributor plate slidably mounted on said rail plate and having a passageway on the side adjacent the rail plate and said rail head side face, a lubricant container having a supply chamber formed therein mounted on the opposite side of the rail and secured to said rail plate, a lubricator head arranged to maintain said distributor plate in operative relation to the rail head and having a compression chamber formed therein, said compression chamber being provided with ports, said lubricant distributor plate constructed with ports arranged to register with said compression chamber ports upon predetermined movement upward or downward of said plate to connect the compresj sion chamber and plate passageway or to connect said supply chamber and the compression chamher, and means for causing a pressure on the lubricant in said chambers.

4. In a rail lubricating device of the kind de scribed and in combination, a rail plate constructed to substantially fit a rail between the head and base on one side thereof, a wheel flange actuated lubricant distributor plate slidably mounted on said rail plate and having a passageway on the side adjacent the rail plate and said rail head side face, a lubricant container mounted on said rail plate and positioned on the opposite side of the rail therefrom, a lubricator head arranged to maintain said distributor plate inopera- Fin tive relation to the rail head and having a pres sure chamber formed therein, means for normally maintaining said distributor plate in elevated position, said container provided with a supply chamber, said compression chamber provided with ports, said lubricant distributor constructed with ports arranged to register with said compression chamber ports upon predetermined upward or downward movement of said distributor, whereby lubricant under pressure is forced from the supply chamber to the compression chamber and thence to the rail head.

5. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and in combination, a rail plate constructed to fit the rail between the head and flange thereof on one side of the rail, a container provided with a lubricant supply chamber positioned on the opposite side of the rail and rigidly secured to said'rail plate, a head having a compres sion chamber communicating with the supply chamber and having a discharge port, means-for yieldingly securing said head to said rail plate, a valve interposed between the head and rail plate and having ports formed therein, constituting passages for lubricant from the supply chamber to the compression chamber and from the compression chamber to the rail, and means for conveying lubricant from the supply to the compression chamber when said valve is in the position to provide communication between the chambers, said valve being constructed to prevent the discharge of lubricant from the compression chamber to the rail when the compression chamber is in communication, with the supply chamber.

6. A device of the kind described and in combination, a lubricant container having a storage chamber at one side of a rail, a head having a compression chamber at the opposite side of the rail, means for operatively securing said container and head to the rail, means for applying pressure to the lubricant in said container storage chamber, and wheel actuated means for controlling the discharge of lubricant from said storage chamber into the compression chamber, and from the compression chamber and distributing the same intermittently and in measured substantial 1y uniform quantities on said rail. 7

'1. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a lubricant container provided with a storage chamber on one side of the rail, a head having a compression chamber positioned on the opposite side of the rail, means for operatively securing said container and head to the rail, means for forcing the lubricant under pressure into the compression chamber from the storage chamber in said container, and means actuable by a flanged wheel passing on the rail for controlling the discharge of lubricant from said compression chamber in measured quantities and distributing the same on said rail, said last mentioned means being positioned with respect to said compression chamber to prevent discharge of lubricant therefrom when the flanged wheel is in engagement with said last mentioned means and to prevent discharge of lubricant from said storage chamber when the wheel is disengaged from said last mentioned means.

8. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and in combination, a rail plate constructed to substantially fit a rail between the head and base at one side of the rail, a lubricant distributor plate slidably mounted on said rail plate and having a passageway on the side adjacent the rail plate and saidrail head side face,

; said distributor plate operatively arranged on the rail plate to frictionally engage'a wheel flange, a lubricant container mounted on said rail plate at the. opposite side of the rail therefrom, a head arranged to maintain said distributor plate in operative relation to the rail head, said container provided with a lubricant supply chamber and said head provided with a lubricant compression chamber, said chambers provided with ports, and said lubricant distributor plate constructed with ports arranged to register with said chamber ports upon predetermined movement upward or downward of said distributor plate to connect the compression chamber and plate passageway or the two chambers, respectively, and means for causing a pressure on the lubricant in the supply chamber.

9. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and in combination, a rail plate secured to a track rail and having an aperture formed therein, a wheel flange actuated lubricant distributor plate having ports formed therein and having a passageway on the side adjacent the rail plate, a lubricant container rigidly secured to said rail plate and communicating with said aperture, a lubricator head having a chamber formed therein and arranged to maintain said distributor plate in operative relation to the rail plate, means positioned within said distributor plate and within recesses formed in said rail plate and head for normally maintaining said distributor plate in elevated position, said head having intake and discharge ports communicating with said chamber, one of the ports in said distributor plate being adapted to register with said aperture and with said intake port when the distributor plate is in one position for establishing communication between said container and chamber, and the other of said ports in the distributor plate being adapted to register with said discharge port when the distributor plate is in another position for establishing communication between said chamber and passageway, and means for exerting a pressure on the lubricant in said container.

10. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and in combination, a rail plate secured to a track rail on one side thereof and having an aperture formed therein, a wheel flange actuated lubricant distributor plate having ports formed therein and having a passagewayon the side adiacent the rail plate and communicating with one of said ports, a lubricant container on the opposite side of the rail rigidly secured to said rail plate and communicating with said aperture, a lubricator head having a chamber formed therein and arranged to yieldingly maintain said distributor plate in operative relation to the rail plate, resilient means positioned within said distributor plate and operatively related to said rail plate and head for maintaining said distributor plate in elevated position, said head having inand discharge ports communicating with said chamber, one of the ports in said distributor plate being adapted to register with the aperture in the rail plate and with said intake port when the distributor plate is in one position for establishing communication between said container and chamber, the other of said ports in the distributor plate being adapted to register with said discharge port when the distributor plate is in another position for establishing communication between said chamber and passageway, and means for exerting a pressure on the lubricant in said container. 7

11. In a rail lubricating device of the kind described and in combination, a rail plate secured to a track rail on one side thereof and having an aperture formed therein, a wheel flange actuated lubricant distributor plate having ports formed therein adjacent its vertical central portion and having a passageway on the side adjacent the rail plate extending to the upper edge of the distributor plate and communicating with one of said ports, a lubricant container on the opposite side of said rail rigidly secured to said rail plate and communicating with said aperture, a lubricant head having a chamber formed therein, a plurality of springs operatively related to said head and arranged to yieldingly maintain said distributor plate in operative relation to the rail plate, resilient means positioned within said distributor plate and operatively related to said rail plate at opposite sides of said aperture and to said head at opposite sides of said chamber for maintaining said distributor plate in elevated position, said head having intake and discharge ports communicating with said chamber, one of the ports in said distributor plate being adapted to register with the aperture in the rail plate and with said intake port when the distributor plate is in one position for establishing communication between said container and chamber, the other of said ports in the distributor plate being adapted to register with said discharge port when the distributor plate is in another position for establishing communication between said chamber and passageway, means for exerting a pressure on the lubricant in said container, and guard wings formed on said head and positioned to protect said springs.

HARRY B. BATES. 

